The Paleontology of Pound StonesDairymaids of 18th century England may have been some of the best un
The Paleontology of Pound StonesDairymaids of 18th century England may have been some of the best unintentional paleontologists.In a time before standardized measurements, these dairymaids often used “pound stones” to weigh out butter and cream. These pound stones, commonly found in the fields of Oxfordshire, were particularly useful because all were uniform in shape, size and weight. Dairymaids recognized the practical value of a pound stone, but it would be a few years before anyone realized their scientific importance.What were these unique rocks that aided rural dairy farmers? Pound stones were circular, often flat on the bottom, had 5-fold symmetry, and closely resembled a familiar living creature…the sea urchin. Pound stones, or Chedworth buns as they were sometimes called, turned out to be fossilized sea urchins.As scientific discovery continued to progress, geologists realized that these useful pound stones were not only weights, but signs of ancient oceans that once covered England. This particular species of urchin, Clypeus Ploti, is found in Jurassic limestones and is still a valuable chunk of history for fossil collectors today.-CMPhoto courtesy of Flickr user Rockman of Zymurgy http://bit.ly/1A6K2FA -- source link
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